Roof ventilator



May 29, 1962 H. HALVORSON 3,036,508

ROOF VENTILATOR Filed April 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ffarlan LHaZvorson ATTEI RN EYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,536,503 Patented May 29, 1962 3,036,568 RUOF VENTILATOR Harlan L. Halvorson, Wells, Minn, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Lester L. Smith, Peoria, Ill. Filed Apr. 15, 1958, Ser. No. 728,708 4 Claims. (Cl. 93*32) This invention relates to building construction, and more particularly to building materials for use in constructing the roof of a house or other building.

The object of the invention is to provide a building construction wherein more eflicient ventilation of the upper portion of the building such as the attic, is insured, and wherein the building construction of the present invention permits air to readily circulate through the upper portion of the building so that overheating is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a building construction which includes a novel ridge member as well as a louver member, the louver member and ridge member coacting to insure that there will be highly eflicient ventilation of the building regardless of the direction of the wind, and wherein the louver member will facilitate the starting of the laying of shingles and wherein the assembly will also facilitate the installation of eaves troughs.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a building assembly which is constructed so that rain, snow or the like Will be prevented from accidentally entering the building and wherein the assembly insures that all parts of the roof can be properly ventilated since provision is made for the air to readily circulate through the louver member and ridge member.

A further object of the invention is to provide a louver member and ridge member which are extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through a portion of a building, and illustrating the ridge member and one of the louver members in place on the building.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view illustrating the ridge member.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the ridge member and showing an end piece connected thereto.

FIGURE 4 is an end elevational view looking at the end piece which is connected to an end of the ridge member.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a modified ridge member.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIGURE 6.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGURES 1-4 of the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a portion of a building which includes upstanding studs 11 and sheathing 12 is secured to the studs 11 in the usual manner. The building 10 further includes the usual inclined rafters 13 and roof boards 14 as well as shingles 15, FIGURE 1. As shown in the drawings, the roof boards 14 have their lower portions spaced from the sheathing 12 so as to define a space 16 therebetween. Also, the upper portions of the roof boards 14 are spaced from each other so as to define a space 17 therebetween.

According to the present invention there is provided a louvered eave ventilator member which is indicated generally by the numeral 18, and this louvered eave ventilator member 18 includes a first nailing strip portion 19 which is secured to the sheathing 12 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of securing elements 20. Arranged above the first or nailing strip portion 19 and offset outwardly therefrom is a second or flange portion 21, and a third or panel portion 22 extends downwardly and outwardly from the second or flange portion 21, the panel portion 22 being provided with a plurality of spaced apart vent openings or apertures 23 therein. The louvered eave member 18 further includes an upstanding fourth or outer side wall portion 24, and extending upwardly and inwardly from the fourth or outer side wall portion 24 is a fifth or top portion 25, the fifth or top portion 25 being positioned below the roof boards 14.

There is further provided a ridge piece which is indicated generally by the numeral 26, and the ridge piece 26 includes a pair of first or marginal flange sections 27 which are secured to the shingles 15 in any suitable manner, as for example by means of securing elements 28. Extending upwardly from each first or marginal flange section 27 and offset outwardly therefrom is a second or flashing section 29. A third or inner side wall section 30 extends outwardly and upwardly from the upper edge of each second or flashing section 29, and extending downwardly from each of the inner side wall ssections 30 is a fourth or panel section 31. The fourth or panel sections 31 are provided with openings or cutouts 32 which permit air to circulate or pass therethrough. Each of the fourth or panel sections 31 terminates in an upstanding fifth or outer side wall section 33, and extending upwardly and inwardly from each fifth or outer side wall section 33 is a sixth or top section 34.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, there is further provided an end piece 35, and it is to be understood that one of the end pieces 3-5 is adapted to be mounted on each end of the ridge piece 26. Each end piece 35 includes overlapping portions 36 which can be bent or moved into their proper position after the end piece 35 is mounted on the ridge piece 26. Each end piece 35 further includes inclined faces 37 which may be secured in place by securing elements 38, and there is further provided vertical faces 39 and slanted faces 40. This arrangement of the end piece 35 serves to insure that the end piece will snugly conform to the configuration of the ridge piece 26 so that the ends of the ridge piece will be effectively closed off or blocked ofii.

Referring now to FIGURES 6-8 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modified ridge piece 41 which is adapted to be used in lieu of or instead of the ridge piece 26. The ridge piece 41 includes first or marginal flange sections 42 which are adapted to be secured in place adjacent the apex of the roof, by means of securing elements 43. Arranged above each first or marginal flange section 42 and offset outwardly therefrom is a second or flashing section 44, and the flashing sections 44 are provided with V-shaped projections 45. Arranged adjacent the upper edge of each flashing section 44 is a curved third or inner side wall section 46 which terminates in an outwardly extending downwardly inclined fourth or panel section 47. Arranged adjacent the lower edge of each panel section 47 is a curved fifth or outer side wall section 48, and extending upwardly from the outer side wall sections 48 are sixth or top sections 49.

As shown in the drawings, the panel sections 47 are each provided with a plurality of slots or openings 50, and screen members 51 extend over the slots: 50. The numeral 52 indicates each of a plurality of curved baffles which are positioned over the slots 50, and these baffles 52 help insure that rain, snow or the like will not accidentally pass up through the slots 5i) and into the build- "a a ing. Furthermore, the bafiles 52 help retain the screens 51 in place.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been provided a building assembly wherein eflicient or highly effective ventilation of an attic or roof portion of a building will be brought about. It is to be noted that with the parts arranged as shown in the drawings, and by using a louvered eave ventilator member 18 as shown in FIG- URE l in conjunction with the ridge piece such as the ridge piece 26, it will be seen that air can circulate up through the openings 23 and this air can then pass upwardly beneath the roof boards 14 and then the air can pass out through the space 17 and then out through the openings 32 so that a continuous circulation of air throughout all portions of the attic or roof is possible, whereby overheating of these parts of the building will be prevented. It is to be understood that in any one building, one ridge piece 26 is used, together with two of the louvered eave ventilator members 18. These louvered eave ventilator members 18 are arranged so that there is one louvered member adjacent the lower inclined edge of the roof on each side of the building. Furthermore, the ends of the ridge piece 26 are closed off by means of the end pieces 35. The louvered eave ventilator members 18 are secured in place by means of the securing elements 20, and it will be seen that with the flange portion 21 offset outwardly away from the sheathing 12, that air can circulate down through the space between the flange portion 21 and sheathing 12 so as to provide a further ventilated area. The openings 23 are protected by means of the outer side wall portion 24 as Well as the overhanging lower portions of the roof boards 14, so that there will be less likelihood of rain or the like splashing up through the openings 23. Similarly, the openings 32 are protected against splashing water or rain by the outer side wall and top portions 33 and 34. The offset flashing sections 29 provide a space between those sections 29 and the shingles 15 so that air can circulate through such spaces to further increase the efficiency of the ventilation. The end pieces 35 are secured in place by means of the securing elements 33, and such securing elements may be nails or the like. Furthermore, the louvered eave ventilator members 18, as well as the ridge piece 26, are adapted to extend the entire length of the building so that complete ventilation of all surfaces of the roof or attic are provided.

Instead of using the ridge piece 26, the ridge piece 41 can be used. The ridge piece 41 is adapted to be secured in place by means of the nails or securing elements 43, and the ridge piece 41 includes the offset sections 44 as well as the V-shaped projections 45 and this construction provides a means whereby air can readily circulate therebeneath so as to make more eflicient the ventilation of the building. The air which causes the ventilation, is adapted to pass out into the atmosphere through the slots 50, and the screens 51 prevent birds, insects, or foreign matter from passing upwardly through the slots 50 and into the attic or other portion of the building. The baffles 52 help retain the screen members 51 in place, and the bafiies 52 also act as splash guards so as to help prevent rain or the like from splashing up through the slots 50. Thus, the slots 50 function in substantially the same manner as the previously described openings '32.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in different shapes or sizes.

By having the members run the full length of the building, all parts of the roof will be ventilated. Some of the advantages of the present invention are as follows. All of the warm air will be taken out and replaced by cool air, the units are easy and quick and inexpensive to install. With respect to the cave ventilator member 18, this member helps provide good ventilation and can be installed with a minimum amount of labor since it is not necessary to use any wood shingles to start the shingling operation when asphalt shingles are being used. Furthermore, by

means of the cave ventilator member 18, a person can get a straight cave line because it is only necessary to line on the bottom only. Also, a tight construction along the cave line is provided and by using the ridge piece 26 in conjunction with the cave ventilator member 18, the cold air will come in through the bottom openings 23 and force the hot air out through the openings 32. The ridge piece 26 will conform to the pitch of various types of roofs and hips. In FIGURE 1 the arrows indicate the direction of air flow and it will be seen that the cool air can pass upwardly and the warm air will pass outwardly through the openings 32. i

The cave ventilator member 18 will provide a high degree of efiicient ventilation regardless of the wind direction and such member 18 facilitates the starting of shingles because it eliminates the need of wood starter shingles, and the member 18 also facilitates the installation of eaves troughs.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

I claim:

1. A roof ventilating structure comprising, in combination, a top having portions extending laterally from a longitudinal ridge in angular relationship to one another, relatively narrow outer side walls extending downwardly from the top portions, generally planar panels narrower than the top portions extending inwardly from the outer side walls in spaced relationship to said top portions and facing downwardly so as to be overhung by the top portions, said panels having a plurality of adjacent longitudinally elongated and relatively narrow openings therein, inner side walls extending downwardly from the inner edges of the panels and in spaced and opposed relationship to one another to define a central open throat, side flashing portions extending laterally in opposed relationship to one another from the lower portions of the inner side walls, and said panels having integral louvers there on extending upwardly adjacent said openings and angularly toward said top portions in generally parallel relationship to one another from sheltered positions below the top portions and inside of said outer side walls.

2. A roof ventilating structure as defined in claim 1, and wherein said panels slope downwardly toward the outer side walls and away from said central open throat in generally parallel relationship to said top portions to effect drainage of moisture laterally toward the outer side walls and through said openings.

3. In a building having a side wall structure including sheathing and a roof structure including roof boards having end portions that extend laterally beyond and overhang the sheathing, a louvered eave ventilator member including a generally planar flange portion secured to said sheathing, a panel portion integral with the flange portion and extending outwardly from the top of the flange portion in a direction away from the sheathing, said panel portion having a general plane forming an acute angle with said flange portion between the sheathing and the overhanging end portion of the roof boards, said panel portion also having therein a plurality of adjacent and relatively narrow openings elongated and extending longitudinally of the panel for the flow of air, an outer side wall portion integral with and extending upwardly from the edge of the panel portion remote from said flange portion and adjacent the ends of the roof boards, a top portion adjoined to and extending angularly from said outer side wall portion in spaced and substantially parallel relationship to the general plane of said panel portion and secured to said roof boards, and each of said openings in the panel portion having a louver thereover which is formed integrally with the panel portion and extends angullarly therefrom and into the ventilator structure toward said top portion.

4. In a ventilating structure having surfaces adapted to be mounted to extend longitudinally of a roof, and including a combination of portions providing a lateral structural section transverse to the longitudinal dimension of the roof which comprises a top portion sloping downwardly with reference to the horizontal in a direction transverse to said longitudinal dimension and from one lateral side thereof to the other, a relatively narrow outer side wall portion adjoined to and extending downwardly at an angle to said top portion from the lower of the lateral sides of the top portion, a generally planar panel portion adjoined to and extending angularly from the bottom of said outer side wall portion under and in spaced and opposed relationship to the top portion so as to be overhung by the top portion, an inner side wall portion adjoined to and extending downwardly from the side of the panel portion opposite the outer side wall portion, said panel portion having therein a plurality of openings which are relatively narrow laterally of the panel portion, said panel portion also having thereon a plurality of integrally formed louvers extending upwardly toward the top portion and into the ventilating structure in acute angular relationship to the plane of the panel portion over said openings from the inner surface of the panel portion, and said panel portion having a general downward slope laterally of the ventilating structure in a direction away from the inner side Wall portion thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

